Push button door handle



June 24, 1958 C -i. v. JAKEWAY 2340410 PUSH BUTTON DOOR l-IANDLE Filed July 25, 1956 IN V EN TOR.

United States PatefitC PUSH BUTTON DOOR HANDLE Gerald V. Jakeway, Gram! Rapids, Mich., assignor to Keeler Brass Company, Graad Rapids, Mich.

Application July 23, 1956, Serial No. 599,568

Claims. (Cl. 292336.3)

This invention relates to push button door handles adapted for use on doors of automobiles, refrigerators and the 1ike The main objects of this invention are:

First, to provide a push button door handle adapted for use on automobiles, refrigerators and the like whch may be assembled as a unit and installed as such and one in which the parts are associated to withstand severe usage and are not likely'to get out of repair.

Second, to provide a push button door handle having these advantages in which the parts may be quickly and easily assembled and disassembled and one in which a noncircular push button is effectively supported to receive the thrust applied to any portion thereof without cocking or substantial binding.

Objects relating to details and economies of the invention will appear from the description to follow. The invention is defined and pointed out in the claims. A preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accornpanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary front elevational view of a handle embodying my inventonapplied to 21 door whch is conventionally indcated.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary view mainly in section on a line corresponding to line 22 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary undersidevew of the handle.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary view in section on a line corresponding to line4-4of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary view on a line correspondng to line 55 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the push button and stem in disassernbled relation.

Fig. 7 is afragmentary view illustrating details of the means for attaching a handle to a door. 1 1

In the accompanying drawing 1 represents a portion of 21 door such as an automobile door and 2 represents a latch provided with a latch actuatng member or element 3. These parts are conventionally illustrated and t will he understood that they are varied in use and that portions of the handle are shaped to fit 2. door of a partcular shape.

The handle comprises a grip portion 4 whch merges into a head portion 5. The head portion has an undercut portion 6 provided with a socket 7 open at both ends and having an inwardly projecting flange 8 at its outer end providing an inwardly facing stop shoulder 9.

The cupped push button 11 is of flattened cross section shaped to correspond to the shape of the socket and dimensioned to be slidable therein. The push button is desirably forrned as a sheet metal stamping and has an outwardly projecting stop flange 12 at its inner end. T his coacts with the shoulder 9 to limit the outward movement of the push button which is introduced in the socket trom its inner end. Desirably a gasket 13 is arranged on the flange 12 to seal the joint between the push button and the flange 8 when the push button is in its projected or n0rmal position.

The push button stem 14 is provided with a head 15 2 seated Within the push button and shaped to nonrotatably seat in the noncircular push buton. The elongated head of the stem extends the full length of the push button so that tilting of the push button on the head does not occur in the event of pressure on one end of the push button instead of centrally thereof.

The stem is adapted to coact with the actuating element 3 of the latch as illustratedin Fig. 2. The stem is reciprocatingly supported in the tubular guide 16 fixedly mounted on the support 01' abutment member 17 whch in the ernbodiment illustrated has an upwardly offset central portion 18 with an opening therein receiving the inner end of the tubular guide which is up set atl9 and 20 on the inner and outer sides of the support member. The support member is desirably a sheet metal stamping.

The coil spring 21 enrbraces the guide tube seated on the support member with its outer end in thrust engagement with the head of the stem. The head of the stem is preferably shouldered at 22 to receive the outer coil of the spring whch prevents lateral sliding movement thereof. The seating of the spring on the support member in surrounding relation to the guide tube with its outer end in engagement with the shoulder 22 of the stem prevents the spring trom coming into contact with the stem and eliminates noise in operation of the push button.

The support member 17 is detachably seeured by screws 25 threaded into bores provided therefore in the socket wall, one bore being shown in Fig. 2.

With this arrangement of parts the handle may be mounted on the door as an assembled unit. The handle is provided with an internally threaded bore 26 adapted to receive an attaching screw 27, see Fig. 7. Theattaching means for the outer end of the handle is not illustrated =but it may be tapped to receive a screw disposed through the wall of the door from the inner side thereof. The wall has an opening 28 adapted to receive the inner end of the socket as illustrated in Fig. 4. The wall is preferably provided with a reinforcing plate 29 secured upon the inner side thereof.

The push button is desirably formed as a stamping. The push button stem 14 may be formed of asection ol rod and its head 15 integral therewith. The stem guide is mounted on the support or abutmentrnernber which is detachably secured by the screws 25.- 'Ihe parts can be assembled with the socket by positoning the push button in the socket, the stern with its head in proper relation to thepushbutton, positioning the coil spring on the stem, slipping the stern guide over the stem, and attching the support 17 to the socket by inserting the screw 25.

The cutbaclg ofthe socketmember resultsin a protectve overha ng for the push button as is illustrated and positions the push button te be easily engaged by the thumb of a hand grasping the grip of the handle.

The parts, as stated, may be easily assembled and are freely disassembled simply by removal of the screws 25,

and as stated the handle may be mounted as a unit after being assembled.

I have illustrated and described my invention in a highly practical embodiment thereof. I have not at ternpted to illustrate or descrbe ether adaptations as it is believed this disclosure will enable those skilled in the art to embody or adapt my inventon as may be desired.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new and is desired to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A handle comprising a grip and a head portion into whch the grip merges, the head portion having an under cut portion provided with a socket open at both ends and having an inwardly facing shoulder at its outer end, said socket being of flattened horizontal section and having an opening in one side thereof, a cupped push button cross-sectionally flattened to conform to said socket and Patented June 24, 1958 3 provided with an outwardly projecting flange at its inner end coacting with said shoulder of said socket to limit the outward movement of the push button, said push button be ing insertable and removable from the inner end of the soc1cet, a ;support -member detachably rronted on the inner end of said socket; a tubi1lr stem guide fixedly assembled relationwthin said 1SOCkB and to each other by said removable support member.

2. A handle- Comprising a grip and a head portioninto which the grip merges, the head portion having a socket open at both ends and havng an inwardiy facing shoulder at its outer end, a cupped push button provided with zn outwardly projecting flange at its inner end coacting with said shoulder of said socket to limit the outward movernent of the push button, said push button being insertabie andremovable from the inner end of the socket, a support merriber detachably mounted on the inner end of said socket,a tubi1lar stem guide fixedly secured to said supportmember to project inwardly therefrom, a push button stern reciprocatngly supported in said guide and provided with a head supportedly engaged with and removably and nonrotatably seated within said push button, and a coil spring seated on said support member in embracng relation to sadstem guide with its outer end in thrust engagement with said stem head, said stem, push button and springbeing retained in assembled relation within said socket and to each other by said removabie support member.

3. A handle cmprising a grip and a head portion into which the grip merges, the head portion havng an undercutprtion provided with a socket open at both ends and havingan nwardlyfacing shou1der at its outer end, said socketbeing of flattened section, 21 cupped push button crosssectionally flattened to conform to said socket and provided with an outwardly projecting flange at its inner end coacting with said shoulder of said socket to limit the outward movement of the push button, said push button beinginsertable and removable from the inner end of the socket, a support member detachably mounted On the nnerend of said socket, a tu bular stem guide mounted on said Support member to project inwardly therefrom,

a push button stem reciprocatingly supported in said guide 4 7 1 and spring being retained in assembled relation within said socket and to each other by said support member.

4. A handle comprising a grip and a head portion nto which the grip merges, the head portion having an under cut portion provided with a socket open at both ends and having an nwardly facing shoulder at its outer end, a cupped push button provided with an outwardly projecting flange at its inner end coacting with said shoulder of said socket to limit the outward movement of the push button, said push button being nsertable and rcrnovable from the inner end of the socket, a support member de tachabiy secured to the inner end of saidsockets, a tubular stem guide mounted on said support mer nber to project inwardly therefrom, a push button stem reciprocatingly supported in said guide and provided with a head remov ub1y seated within said push button, and a coil spring seated on said support member in embracing relation to said stem guide with ts outer end in thrust engagement with said stem head, said stem, push button and spring being retained in assembled relation withn said socket and to each othr by said support member.

5. A handle comprising a grip and a head portion into whch the grip merges, the head portion having an undercut portion provided with a socket open at both ends and havng an nwardly facing shoulder at its outerend, said socket having en opening in one side thcreof, a cupped push button, said socket and push button having coacting stops iimiting the outward movementof thc push button within the socket, a support member removably secured to said head portion, a tubular stem guide fixedly secured to said support member, a push button stem recprocating- 1y supported in said guide provided with a head removably seated withn said push button, and a coil spring seated on said support member in embracing relation to said stem guide with its outer end in thrust engagement with said stem head, said stem, push button and spring being retained in assembled relation within said socket and to each other by said supportmember.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,531,605 Gaynor Mar. 31, 1925 2,218,183 Springer Oct. 15, 1940 2,233278 Aldeen Feb. 25, 1941 2,460607 Suilivan Feb. 1, 1949 2,606,783 Roethel Aug. 12, 1952 2,608,428 Allen Aug. 26, 1952 2,631,879 Craig Mar. 17, 1953 2707648 Jakeway May 3, 1955 2,739,831 Iakeway Mar. 27, 1956 2,759,351 Allen Aug. 21, 1956 2789853 Jak eway Apr. 23, 1957 2807,492 Jakeway Sept. 24, 1957 

